Hawaii County Highpoint Trip Report

Mauna Kea (13,796 ft)

Date: October 8, 2008
Author: Dave Dunham
Just a couple of corrections to Dick Ellsworth's trip report. The turn off of
Saddle road is actually a RIGHT HAND turn when traveling from Hilo. The turn is
signed from the other direction. The name of the road is John A. Burns Way.
Once you reach the visitors center the mile markers on the road reset to zero
and it is 4.8 miles of dirt road before it turns to pavement for the final 3
miles to the summit.
Other notes: There is a well used pull-out for parking right at the 8 mile mark
just after the small University of Hawaii 0.6 meter telescope. If you show up
for sunset there will be a bunch of tour vans parking there as well. There are
two trails from the road to the summit. One is just after the road junction a
little north of the pull-out. That trail contours the hill then catches the
main trail which climbs southeast to the summit. You can also catch the trail
at the bend in the road across the street from the University of Hawaii 2.2
meter scope. Either way is a little under a quarter-mile and both are quite
easy to locate on the barren landscape.